The vitamin D slant on allergy

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2006 Nov;17(7):477-83. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2006.00456.x.

Abstract

Oral vitamin D supplementation has been introduced into modern medicine to prevent rickets without the knowledge that this may have profound immunological consequences. The main vitamin D metabolite calcitriol suppresses dendritic cell maturation and consecutive Th(1) cell development, which has independently described as a key mechanism of allergy development. Animal studies and epidemiological surveys now provide a first link of early vitamin D supplementation and later allergy where several vitamin D regulated genes seem to be involved. A randomized clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation could be a further step to follow up the vitamin hypothesis.

Publication types

  • Editorial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asthma / prevention & control
  • Calcitriol / pharmacology
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / etiology*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / prevention & control
  • Rickets / prevention & control
  • Vitamin D / pharmacology*
  • Vitamins / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D
  • Calcitriol